Alexander Raichev

Alexander Raichev (11 April 1922 – 28 October 2003) was a Bulgarian music educator and composer.

Biography Raichev was born in Lom, Bulgaria, and studied with Pancho Vladigerov at the State Musical Academy in Sofia where he graduated in 1947. He then studied with Zoltán Kodály and Janos Ferencsik at the Budapest Conservatory from 1949-50. After completing his studies, he taught at the Bulgarian State Conservatory, serving as Rector from 1970 to 1978. Notable students include Rosica Petkova.

In 1969 Vasheto prisatvie (Your Presence) was the earliest Bulgarian radio opera to be broadcast.

Selected works 1937: Suite for chamber orchestra 1943: Largo and Scherzo for string orchestra 1945: Symphonic Suite for orchestra 1947: Piano Concerto (lost) 1949–50: Symphony No.1: Symphony/Cantata “He Shall Not Die” for chorus and orchestra 1949–50 “Pioneers Suite” for female chorus and orchestra 1953: Ballet “Haidouk Song” (and two Ballet Suites, 1954 and 1955) 1953 Oratorio “Dimitrov still Lives” for soloist, narrator, male chorus and orchestra 1954: Oratorio “Friendship” for bass, chorus and orchestra 1954: Sonata-Poem for Violin and Orchestra 1955: Suite for chamber orchestra 1958: Symphony No.2 “The New Prometheus” 1962: Four Miniatures for string orchestra 1966: Symphony No.3 “Strivings” 1966 Overture “Bright Day” 1967: Oratorio “October 1950” for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra 1968: Symphony No.4 for string orchestra 1970: Symphonic Glorification “Lenin Generations” for orchestra 1971: Overture “Bright Dawn” 1972: Symphony No.5 for chamber orchestra 1972: Symphonic Moments “Leipzig ‘33” for orchestra 1974: Academic Overture 1975: Festival Overture 1978: Ballet “The Fountain of the White-legged Woman” (and Ballet Suite) 1979: Cantata “Varna” 1979: Concerto for Orchestra 1983: Balkan Rhapsody for orchestra 1983: Concert March No.1 for wind orchestra 1984: March for wind orchestra 1985: Concert March No.2 for wind orchestra 1986: Jubilee Overture 1986: Overture “Eulogy” 1986: Ballad for the Unknown Soldier for bass and wind orchestra 1987: “Thoughts about the Master sketches” for string orchestra 1987: Overture “Levski” for wind orchestra 1988: Cantata “Shipka” for soloists, narrators, male chorus and orchestra 1989: Triptych for clarinet, piano, strings and percussion 1991: Oratorio “Kabile” for narrator, chorus and orchestra 1992: Romantic Concerto for Violin and Orchestra 1994: Symphony No.6 “Liturgical” 1995: Partita melancolica for string orchestra 1998: Symphonic Episodes for orchestra

Opera 1962: Slaveyat na Orkhideyata (The Nightingale of the Orchid) - (operetta, V. Bashev after P. Panchev), Sofia State Music - March 6, 1962 1965: Most (The Bridge) - (Bashev), Ruse Opera, October 2, 1965 1969: Vasheto prisastvie (Your Presence) - Radio Sofia, Sept. 5, 1969. 1980: Blagoevgrad Chamber Opera 1974: Trevoga (Anxiety) - (O. Orlinov, after O. Vassilev), Sofia National Opera, 1974